Afghanistan: 201 dead, many trapped in Turkish coal mine --- SOMA, Turkey — Rescuers desperately raced against time to reach more than 200 miners trapped underground Wednesday after an explosion and fire at a coal mine in western Turkey killed at least 201 workers, authorities said, in one of the worst mining disasters in Turkish history. -- Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said 787 people were inside the coal mine in Soma, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Istanbul, at the time of the explosion and 363 of them had been rescued so far. -- At least 80 miners were injured, including four who were in serious condition, Yildiz told reporters in Soma, as he oversaw the rescue operation involving more than 400 rescuers. -- “Regarding the rescue operation, I can say that our hopes are diminishing,” Yildiz said. -- The accident occurred when the workers were preparing for a shift change, officials said, which likely raised the casualty toll because there were more miners inside the mine than usual. -- The minister said the fire was still blazing inside the mine, 18 hours after the blast. The air around the mine was still smoky.The deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, Yildiz said. -- A rescued miner who emerged alive was whisked away on a stretcher to the cheers of onlookers. -- Earlier, the minister said the rescue operations were hindered because the mine had not completely been cleared of gas. -- Authorities say the disaster followed an explosion and fire caused by a power distribution unit. -- Nurettin Akcul, a mining trade union leader, told HaberTurk television that Turkey was likely facing its worst mining accident ever. -- “Time is working against us. We fear that the numbers could rise further,” Yildiz said. “We have to finish this (rescue operation) by dawn. I have to say that our pain, our trouble could increase.”